How to pronounce the 'short o' /ɑ/

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'short o' illustration

The vocal tract is very open for the production of the 'short o' /ɑ/ sound. In fact, the jaw is held more open and the back of the tongue is held lower for this sound than any other American English vowel sound pronunciation. The tongue touches the inside of the bottom teeth so that the top of the tongue is nearly even with the top of the bottom teeth. The lips are held open and kept rounded, but relaxed.

Pronuncian: American English Pronunciation

Learn and practice American English pronunciation with free online lessons and videos. Minimal pairs and listen-and repeat practice helps English Language Learners speak English more fluently and achieve accent reduction.

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